Lyne Kirk
Encyclopedia
Lyne Kirk is an ancient and historic church of the Church of Scotland
. It is situated on top of a mound adjacent to the A92 trunk route 4.5 miles west of Peebles
in the ancient county of Peeblesshire
, now in the Scottish Borders
area, and governed by the Scottish Borders Council.
, as the Chapel of Lyne in the dependency of the nearby Stobo Kirk
, and overseen by the Bishopric of Glasgow. While still part of the diocese
of Glasgow, Lyne became a parish
in its own right in the 14th century. Reverend Hew Scott
, author of the "Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae
" remarked in that publication that he believed Lyne was the cradle of Christianity
in Peeblesshire.
carried out further major renewal work on the church.
The interior of the church is mainly 17th century with a pre-Reformation font
and a new porch was added in the 19th century. The kirkyard contains many fine gravestones including the beautiful 'Adam and Eve' gravestone, from 1712, depicting the temptation, by Lucifer
, to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge
Lyne Kirk is open to visitors.
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
. It is situated on top of a mound adjacent to the A92 trunk route 4.5 miles west of Peebles
Peebles
Peebles is a burgh in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders, lying on the River Tweed. According to the 2001 Census, the population was 8,159.-History:...
in the ancient county of Peeblesshire
Peeblesshire
Peeblesshire , the County of Peebles or Tweeddale was a county of Scotland. Its main town was Peebles, and it bordered Midlothian to the north, Selkirkshire to the east, Dumfriesshire to the south, and Lanarkshire to the west.After the local government reorganisation of 1975 the use of the name...
, now in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
area, and governed by the Scottish Borders Council.
Pre Reformation
The church was founded in the 12th century, in the reign of William the LionWilliam I of Scotland
William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
, as the Chapel of Lyne in the dependency of the nearby Stobo Kirk
Stobo Kirk
Stobo Kirk is an ancient church of the Church of Scotland. It is dedicated to St Mungo and is situated near the B712 off the A72 just 6 miles south-west of Peebles in the ancient county of Peeblesshire, now part of the Scottish Borders Council area....
, and overseen by the Bishopric of Glasgow. While still part of the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Glasgow, Lyne became a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in its own right in the 14th century. Reverend Hew Scott
Hew Scott
Hew Scott , was a minister of the Church of Scotland Parish of Anstruther Wester. His most extensive, multi-volume work, Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae: The succession of ministers in the parish churches of Scotland, from the reformation, A.D...
, author of the "Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae
Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae
Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae is a title given to books containing lists of ministers from the Church of Scotland. The original volumes covered all ministers of the Established Church of Scotland...
" remarked in that publication that he believed Lyne was the cradle of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in Peeblesshire.
The first 100 years of post Reformation ministers
- Patrick Grinton 1560–1571
- Gilbert Hay 1575–1592
- John Ker 1593–1627
- Hew Ker 1627–1658 (son of the above named John)
- Robert Brown 1659–1682
The later years
Towards the end of the Bshopric of Glasgow, Lyne Kirk was falling in to disrepair and, in 1600, was described as ruinous. In 1644, the church was greatly renovated and refurbished to form the fine building we see today. The renovations were carried out by John Hay, 8th Lord Yester. In 1889, Francis Charteris, Earl of WemyssEarl of Wemyss
Earl of Wemyss and Earl of March are two titles in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 and 1697 respectively, that have been held by a joint holder since 1826. The Scottish Wemyss family had possessed the lands of Wemyss in Fife since the 12th century. In 1625 John Wemyss was created a...
carried out further major renewal work on the church.
- John Hay was later elevated to the earldom of TweeddaleTweeddaleTweeddale is a committee area and lieutenancy area in the Scottish Borders with a population of 17,394 at the latest census in 2001 it is the second smallest of the 5 committee areas in the Borders. It is the traditional name for the area drained by the upper reaches of the River Tweed...
.
The interior of the church is mainly 17th century with a pre-Reformation font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
and a new porch was added in the 19th century. The kirkyard contains many fine gravestones including the beautiful 'Adam and Eve' gravestone, from 1712, depicting the temptation, by Lucifer
Lucifer
Traditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...
, to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge
Lyne Kirk is open to visitors.
See also
- Lyne WaterLyne WaterThe Lyne Water is a tributary of the River Tweed which rises in the Pentland Hills of southern Scotland at Baddinsgill Reservoir. It runs through West Linton and Romannobridge, passes Flemington and Lyne Station and enters the Tweed west of Peebles. It floods regularly in winter and occasionally in...
- LyneLyne, Scottish BordersLyne is a small village and civil parish in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, west of the market town of Peebles; it lies off the A72, in the old county of Peeblesshire and has an area of about ....
- Lyne ViaductLyne ViaductLyne Viaduct is a viaduct at Lyne in the Scottish Borders of Scotland. It consists of three stone skew arches and a plate girder approach span over a minor road and was built to carry the Symington to Peebles branch line of the Caledonian Railway over Lyne Water to the west of Peebles...